Heating system with adjustable louver

ABSTRACT

A heating system including at least one louver coupled with the housing of a heater including a blade and end caps on the blade for holding each louver in a fixed position during operation of the heater assembly, but also releasing the louver for adjustment in positioning relative to the axis of rotation of the louver to change air flow direction or other characteristics as desired.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention generally relates to a louver for use with aheater assembly. In particular, the present invention includes a louverincluding a blade and end caps on the blade for holding each louver in afixed position during operation of the heater assembly, but alsoreleasing the louver for adjustment in positioning relative to the axisof rotation of the louver to change air flow direction or othercharacteristics as desired.

SUMMARY

Heater technology includes a variety of devices to heat spaces within anenvironment. Gas-fired unit heaters offer one option where infraredheating is not practical due to ceiling heights, clearances tocombustibles or building use, as a separated combustion unit heater.Gas-fired, tubular exchanger, induced draft, hot air heaters can be usedin commercial, industrial and agricultural applications, and may featuredurable, powder-coated black enamel exterior and stainless steel louversfor an exceptional aesthetic appeal, and a swept wing impeller withfinger-proof fan guards for low noise operation. In the presentapplication, it has been found that the efficiencies of these heaterscan be improved with improved air flow over fixed louvers that areadjustable to a selected configuration. The selective adjustment may beavailable via an easily adjusted manually engageable mechanism to directheated air to optimum locations within an environmental space at avariety of adjustment locations.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other advantages of the present invention will be readily appreciated,as the same becomes better understood by reference to the followingdetailed description when considered in connection with the accompanyingdrawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a heater assembly including a housingand a plurality of louvers supported by in the housing;

FIG. 2 is a side view of the heater assembly including a fan coupled tothe housing;

FIG. 3 is a rear view of the heater assembly and the fan;

FIG. 4 is an elevated top view of an embodiment of the fan having aswept wing configuration;

FIG. 5 is an elevated side view of the fan having the swept wingconfiguration;

FIG. 6 is a perspective front view of a louver disposed in a portion ofthe housing;

FIG. 6A is a perspective rear view of the louver disposed in the portionof the housing;

FIG. 7 is a perspective side view of a louver including a pin and afirst shaft disposed in a portion of the housing to hold the louver inposition;

FIG. 8 is a perspective side view of the first end cap defining a firstblade chamber and a plunger shaft aperture;

FIG. 9 is a perspective side view of a first end cap having a first bodyand a plunger, a louver and a second end cap;

FIG. 10 is a perspective exploded view of the first end cap includingthe plunger, a biasing member, the first body, and a first lock washer;

FIG. 11 is an elevated side view of the first end cap of FIG. 9;

FIG. 12 is a perspective side view of the first end cap with the firstlock washer disposed about the plunger;

FIG. 13 is a perspective side view of an alternative first end caphaving a second body and a locking member;

FIG. 14 is a perspective exploded view the end cap of FIG. 13 includingthe locking member, the body, and a second lock washer;

FIG. 15 is a perspective side view of the end cap of FIG. 13 defining alock chamber and a lock shaft aperture with a plurality of teethextending into the lock chamber about the lock shaft aperture; and

FIG. 16 is a perspective side view of the end cap of FIG. 13 with thelock washer disposed about the locking member.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

With reference to the Figures, wherein like numerals indicate like partsthroughout the several views, a heater assembly 20 includes a housing 22defining a chamber 24. As shown in FIG. 1, the heater assembly 20includes a heater 26 disposed in the chamber 24 for heating an air flow.The heater assembly 20 defines an opening 28 in communication with thechamber 24. The heater assembly 20 includes a plurality of louvers 30rotatably disposed in the chamber 24 and/or the opening 28. Each of theplurality of louvers 30 is independently adjustable for directing theair flow. As shown in FIGS. 2 and 3, the heater assembly 20 includes afan 32 coupled to the housing 22 in communication with the chamber 24for creating the air flow. The fan 32 may have any suitableconfiguration, such as a swept wing configuration, as shown in FIGS. 4and 5, for improving the efficiency of the heater assembly 20.

One of the plurality louvers 30 in a portion of the housing 22 is shownfor example in FIGS. 6-8. Each of the other louvers 30 has a similarconstruction. Each louver 30 is rotatably disposed about a louver axisA1. The one of the plurality louvers 30 includes a blade 34 disposedalong the louver axis A1. The blade 34 has an arcuate cross-sectionalconfiguration for directing the air flow. The blade 34 can have anysuitable alternative cross-sectional configuration, such as, a flatcross-sectional configuration. The arcuate cross-sectional configurationof the blade 34 and a lack of ribs or edges reduce turbulence and dragof air flow around the blade 34. The blade 34 is made of metal, but canbe made of any suitable alternative material, such as, plastic.

One of the plurality louvers 30 includes a first end cap 36 and a secondend cap 38 spaced from the first end cap 36 along the louver axis A1.The first and second end caps 36, 38 engage opposite sides of the blade34 for selective rotation of the blade 34 relative to the housing 22.Specifically referring to FIG. 7, the housing 22 defines a first shaftaperture 40 for engaging one of the first and second end caps 36, 38.The housing 22 defines a correlative second shaft aperture and aretaining aperture for engaging the other of the first and second endcaps 36 and 38. The second end cap 38 may be either identical with thefirst end cap (as a mirror image) or can also be an end cap with merelyholds the louver rotatable in place without a separate lockingmechanism.

The first end cap 36 has first body 42 rotatably disposed in a portionof the housing 22. The first end cap 36 defines a first blade chamber 44in the first body 42 with a tapered configuration as shown in FIG. 12.The blade 34 is disposed in the first blade chamber 44 for mounting theblade 34 to the portion of the housing 22 along the louver axis A1.

As shown in FIGS. 6-8, the first end cap 36 has a first surface 46extending along the first body 42 with an arcuate configuration anddirects air flow around the first end cap 36 for reducing turbulent airflow and drag around the first end cap 36. The first end cap 36 has afirst winglet 48 extending from the first surface 46 transverse to thelouver axis A1. The first winglet 48 has an arcuate configuration anddirects air flow towards the blade 34 to reduce turbulent air flowbetween the one of the plurality of louvers 30 and the housing 22 andencourage laminar air flow over the first end cap 36 and the blade 34 toreduce drag. As shown, the blades are designed to have a leading edge, atrailing edge and a uniform thickness throughout the curvature, althoughan alternative configuration could use a more airplane wing designedconfiguration as needed or desired.

The second end cap 38 has a second body 50 rotatably disposed in theportion of the housing 22. The second end cap 38 defines a second bladechamber 52 in the second body 50 with a tapered configuration, as shownin FIG. 16. The blade 34 is disposed in the second blade chamber 52 formounting the blade 34 to the portion of the housing 22 along the louveraxis A1.

The second end cap 38 has a second surface 54 extending along the secondbody 50 with an arcuate configuration for directing air flow around thesecond end cap 38 for reducing turbulent air flow and drag around thesecond end cap 38. The second end cap 38 has a second winglet 56extending from the second surface 54 transverse to the louver axis A1.The second winglet 56 an arcuate configuration to direct the air flowtowards the blade 34 to reduce turbulent air flow between the one of theplurality of louvers 30 and the housing 22 and encourage laminar airflow over the second end cap 38 and the blade 34 to reduce drag.

The first and second end caps 36, 38 are configured to selectively lockin a selected rotational position relative to the housing 22.Specifically, one of the first and second end caps 36, 38 includes apair of locking features 58 and the other of the first and second caps36, 38 is spring loaded to engage the pair of locking features 58. Forexample, the first end cap 36 is spring loaded and the second cap 38includes the pair of locking features 58 in the embodiment in theFigures and as set forth further below.

As shown in FIG. 9, the first body 42 defines a plunger chamber 60 alongthe louver axis A1. The first end cap 36 includes a plunger 62 movablydisposed in the plunger chamber 60 for coupling the first end cap 36 tothe housing 22.

The plunger 62 has a plunger shoulder 64 and a first shaft 66 extendingalong the louver axis A1 away from the plunger shoulder 64. As shown inFIG. 10, the plunger 62 has a plunger shaft 68 extending from theplunger shoulder 64 away from the first shaft 66. The plunger shaft 68is disposed in the plunger chamber 60. The first end cap 36 includes abiasing member 70 disposed about the plunger shaft 68. The biasingmember 70 abuts the plunger shoulder 64 and the first body 42 to biasthe plunger 62 to resiliently extend from the plunger chamber 60 towardsthe housing 22.

As shown in FIG. 11, the first end cap 36 defines a plunger shaftaperture 72 along the louver axis A1 for receiving the plunger shaft 68of the plunger 62. As shown in FIG. 12, the plunger shaft 68 extendsthrough the plunger shaft aperture 72. The first end cap 36 includes afirst lock washer 74 disposed around the plunger shaft 68 and abuttingthe first body 42 for retaining the plunger 62 in the plunger chamber60.

As shown in FIG. 13, the second end cap 38 defines a lock chamber 76 inthe second body 50 and includes a locking member 78 engageable with lockchamber 76 for coupling the second end cap 38 to the housing 22. Thelocking member 78 has a lock shoulder 80 and a second shaft 82 extendingalong the louver axis A1 away from the lock shoulder 80.

The second shaft 82 engages the housing 22 for coupling the first endcap 36 to the housing 22. The locking member 78 has a retaining pin 84extending relative to the louver axis A1 away from the lock shoulder 80.The retaining pin 84 engages the housing 22 in an aperture 85 forpreventing rotation of the locking member 78. Additional apertures 87and 89 may be provided to perform the same function as aperture 85 butfor additional degrees of angulations of the blade.

As shown in FIG. 14, the locking member 78 has a lock shaft 86 extendingfrom the lock shoulder 80 away from the second shaft 82. The lockingmember 78 includes one of the pair of locking features 58 furtherdefined as a first plurality of teeth 90 extending from the lockshoulder 80 and disposed about the lock shaft 86. In one example, thefirst plurality of teeth 90 are disposed about the lock shaft 86 in 2.5degree increments, but it should be appreciated that first plurality ofteeth 90 may be disposed about the lock shaft 86 in any degreeincrements, such as three degree increments.

As shown in FIG. 15, the second body 50 of the second end cap 38 definesa lock shaft aperture 88. The second body 50 includes the other of thepair of lock features 58 further defined as a second plurality of teeth92 extending into the lock chamber 76 about the lock shaft aperture 88for engaging the first plurality of teeth 90 of the locking member 78 topreventing rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30. In oneexample, the second plurality of teeth 92 are disposed about the lockshaft aperture 88 in 2.5 degree increments, but it should be appreciatedthat second plurality of teeth 92 may be disposed about the lock shaftaperture 88 in any degree increments as long as the second plurality ofteeth 92 are disposed about the same degree increments as the firstplurality of teeth 90.

As shown in FIG. 16, the lock shaft 86 extends through the lock shaftaperture 88. The second end cap 38 includes a second lock washer 96disposed around the lock shaft 86 and abutting the second body 50 forretaining the locking member 78 in the lock chamber 76.

As an operator installs the one of the plurality of louvers 30, thefirst shaft 66 of the first end cap 36 is disposed in the chamber 24 ofthe housing 22. The operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30along the louver axis A1 in a first direction F1 parallel to A1, asshown in FIG. 13, to compress the biasing member 70 and move the plunger62 into the plunger chamber 60 of the first end cap 36. The operatoraligns the second shaft 82 of the second end cap 38 with the secondshaft aperture and aligns the retainer pin 84 with the retainer aperture85 (or 87 or 89). The operator moves the one of the plurality louvers 30along the louver axis A1 in a second direction F2 parallel to A1 todispose the second shaft 82 in the second shaft aperture and dispose theretainer pin 84 in the retainer aperture 85. The biasing member 70biases the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 inthe second direction F2 to engage the first plurality of teeth 90 of thesecond body 50 with the second plurality of teeth 92 of the lockingmember 78 to prevent rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30about the louver axis A1. The retainer pin 84 engages the housing 22 inthe retainer aperture 85 to prevent rotation of the locking member 78.

To adjust the one of the plurality louvers 30, the operator moves theone of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in the firstdirection F1 to compress the biasing member 70 and disengage the firstplurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 from the second plurality ofteeth 92 of the locking member 78. The operator rotates the one of theplurality louvers 30 about the louver axis A1 to the desired angle ofthe one of the plurality louvers 30. As the operator rotates the one ofthe plurality louvers 30, the locking member 78 remains stationary andthe second end cap 38 rotates about the locking member 78. The operatormoves the one of the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in asecond direction F2 aided by the biasing member 70 to reengage the firstplurality of teeth 90 of the second body 50 with the second plurality ofteeth 92 of the locking member 78. The biasing member 70 biases the oneof the plurality louvers 30 along the louver axis A1 in the seconddirection F2 retain the engagement of the first plurality of teeth 90 ofthe second body 50 with the second plurality of teeth 92 of the lockingmember 78 to prevent rotation of the one of the plurality louvers 30about the louver axis A1. It is preferred that this operation berepeated for all of the louvers 30 in the housing 22, but it is notrequired and can be tailored or selected as desired or needed.

The invention has been described in an illustrative manner, and it is tobe understood that the terminology which has been used is intended to bein the nature of words of description rather than of limitation. Manymodifications and variations of the present invention are possible inlight of the above teachings, and the invention may be practicedotherwise than as specifically described.

What is claimed is:
 1. A heating system comprising: a housing throughwhich air flows through a heating element from an inlet to an outlet; atleast one elongated louver having a first end and a second end and acentral axis of rotation; an element at each end of said louver toengage the housing, with a first element engaging said housing in afixed position and also adjustable to other fixed positions and a secondelement engaging said housing in a resilient position to release saidfirst element to be adjusted to a second fixed position; a blower forcontinuously forcing air through said compartment; and a heatingelement.
 2. A heating system as set forth in claim 1 further comprisingmultiple louvers.
 3. A demand radiant heating system as set forth inclaim 1 wherein said louvers can be adjusted a various intervals by adisengagement and re-engagement of toothed gears disposed in said firstelement.
 4. A demand radiant heating system as set forth in claim 1including means disposed adjacent said burner for igniting an air/fuelmixture in said burner and for sensing a predetermined temperature ofsaid burner.
 5. A demand radiant heating system as set forth in claim 6wherein said igniting and sensing means comprises a glow bar ignitor. 6.A louver for a heating system comprising: an elongated blade having afirst end and a second end; a housing in which the louver is disposed,the housing defining a compartment into and out of which air flows andincludes an element for heating the air passing by the heating element;a fan continuously forcing air into said compartment; said louverincluding elements to attach the first and the second end to thehousing, comprising caps at each of the louver; One cap having anadjustable element relative to the housing and the other cap having areleasable element relative to the housing to permit the adjustableelement to move from a first fixed position to a second fixed position.7. An invention as set forth in claim 6 further comprising that multiplelouvers are engaged with the housing.
 8. A heating system comprising: Ahousing having a heating element, a fan to continuously blow air overthe heating element, and an outlet for the heated air; At least onelouver at the outlet of the housing, said louver having an axis ofrotation and a mechanism to adjust the louver to alter the direction ofair flow from the heating system flowing past the louver by rotationaround the axis of rotation, comprising engagement elements at each endof the louver, with a first element engaging at least a portion of thehousing and a second element engaging at least a portion of the housing;and one of said elements moveable ; and said first element having a lockto engage at least a portion of the housing in place and release topermit the second element to rotate and return the louver to lockengagement when the release is no longer engaged.